Bill introduced in Turkey to block online betting sites

Lawmakers from Turkey’s governing party are looking to extend scope of current legislation to ban illegal online sports books.

Turkey.- Lawmakers from Turkey’s governing party have introduced a bill to allow the government to block access to illegal sport betting sites.

While Turkish law already allows the government to block access to sites offering casino games, the new bill expands the scope and reach of the legislation to include sports betting.

Online sports betting is only permitted via the country’s official lottery.

“Illegal betting and gambling sites attract organisers of all ages and all economic situations to the criminal network, thereby damaging our social peace and life,” the bill said.

The bill was introduced by Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and sponsored by 55 AKP members.

As the AKP does not hold a majority in the National Assembly, they will need the support from at least 10 members between the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Great Unity Party (BBP) to have the bill approved.